Inflatable swim floats and rafts are well-known. Inflatable rafts, although capable of supporting the weight of an adult, suffer from several disadvantages. These rafts must be inflated and deflated with each use and are easily punctured, ripped or torn. More importantly, inflatable rafts are not suitable for use by young children. A sudden loss of air pressure may leave a child helpless.
Swim rafts constructed from flexible, cellular solids offer advantages over inflatable rafts. Thes rafts do not require inflating or patching, and are approved for use by young children because they cannot "deflate".
U.S. Pat. No. 1,829,137 (Harris) discloses a bathing float constructed from a series of cork sections surrounded by a canvas covering. The sections are rigidly secured by wooden rods passing through loops attached to the ends of the cork panels. U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,088 (d'Adesky) illustrates a combination floating mattress and beach pad constructed of a plurality of polyethylene foam floats. A plurality of ropes interconnect the float members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,473 (Poirer) teaches a buoyant mattress constructed of a plurality of light-weight, buoyant blocks. The blocks are surrounded and interconnected by an outer skin of fabric, polyethylene or polyvinylchloride film.
Inflatable mattresses are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,974 (Stuart) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,252 (Ford). A wave attentuating device comprising a plurality of liquid-filled chambers is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,414 (Straub, et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,240 (Wood) discloses a closed-cell foam aquatic mat including a buoyant headrest.
Many of the prior floats and mattresses are rigid and thus are not easily stored in a closet or the trunk of an automobile. Thus, a hinged swim float is desired. In addition to being foldable, a hinged mat can readily follow the contour of ocean waves. The hinges must be carefully designed, however, so that they do not pinch the skin of a person lying on the mat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,819 (Nissen) illustrates a folding gymnastic floor mat. The hinge structure of this mat would not be suitable for use in an aquatic mat because the hinges would pinch a user.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a swim float constructed of a plurality of hinged sections.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a swim float constructed of closed-cell foamed plastic material.
A further object of the present invention is to provide hinged float sections that do not pinch a user.